Molecular mechanism of suppression of MDR1 by puerarin from Pueraria lobata via NF-kappaB pathway and cAMP-responsive element transcriptional activity-dependent up-regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase in breast cancer MCF-7/adr cells

Mol Nutr Food Res. 2010 Jul;54(7):918-28. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900146.

Abstract

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle in cancer chemotherapy and its inhibition is an effective way to reverse cancer drug resistance. In the present study, we investigated that puerarin, a natural isoflavonoid from Pueraria lobata, down-regulated MDR1 expression in MCF-7/adriamycin (MCF-7/adr), a human breast MDR cancer cell line. Puerarin treatment significantly inhibited MDR1 expression, MDR1 mRNA and MDR1 promoter activity in MCF-7/adr cells. The suppression of MDR1 was accompanied by partial recovery of intracellular drug accumulation, leading to increased toxicity of adriamycin and fluorescence of rhodamine 123, indicating that puerarin reversed the MDR phenotype by inhibiting the drug efflux function of MDR1. Moreover, nuclear factor kappa-B activity and IkappaB degradation were inhibited by puerarin. Puerarin stimulated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), acetyl-CoA carboxylase and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta phosphorylation, but puerarin decreased cAMP-responsive element-binding protein phosphorylation. The puerarin-induced suppression of MDR1 expression was reduced by AMPK inhibitor (compound C). Furthermore, both MDR1 protein expression and the transcriptional activity of cAMP-responsive element (CRE) were inhibited by puerarin and protein kinase A/CRE inhibitor (H89). Taken together, our results suggested that puerarin down-regulated MDR1 expression via nuclear factor kappa-B and CRE transcriptional activity-dependent up-regulation of AMPK in MCF-7/adr cells.

MeSH terms

  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / genetics
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / metabolism*
  • Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase / metabolism
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacokinetics
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / genetics
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / metabolism*
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacokinetics
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Humans
  • I-kappa B Proteins / metabolism
  • Isoflavones / pharmacology*
  • Isoflavones / therapeutic use
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / drug effects
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Pueraria / chemistry
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism

Substances

  • ABCB1 protein, human
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein
  • I-kappa B Proteins
  • Isoflavones
  • NF-kappa B
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Doxorubicin
  • GSK3B protein, human
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase
  • puerarin